Arizona Winter

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It's been like this... mixed sun and overcast.... rain and snow dustings.... then sun again. Cold one day, then t-shirts the next. Bi-polar weather is always a surprise. 25 years of living in and loving this weather, but I must admit, I would really love some snow right now.

Recently, I walked for a few hours along the upper Verde River canyon rim. It was downright balmy! Saw a few hares, a red tailed hawk, many rascally ravens, and a barn owl swooping silently up from the canyon bottom. Otherwise, not a soul to be heard or seen.

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Jackass Butte in the distance. Moki and I head down one of the many "Iron Gate" trails to the bottom of the canyon. There are a bunch of basalt boulders down here with words and pics from days past (and present.) Throughout time, people have added theirs to the mix. I would love to have seen this before modern peeps scraped their names into it.

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I didn't touch the Petroglyphs, but wanted to make a quick (barefoot) move to the top of the right side. I've been visiting this boulder for twenty-five years, rock-climbing the canyon walls surrounding it and swimming in the pools. We don't climb where the Petros are, or where the birds (owls, falcons, ravens) are nesting. I sat atop this ancient boulder and watched ravens flying in and out of the canyon, black specs against and on-again/off-again deep blue sky.The back side of the Petroglyph boulder, with the "Shadowlands" side of the canyon seen behind.

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This is the biggest Petroglyph I have ever seen. It is as big as me. Foot for reference. Pregnant Mule Deer, Pronghorn, or Elk?? What do you think?